New Volvo Safety System Brakes for Bicycles

By Nick Clayton

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A Volvo S60 at the Geneva Motor Show.

A car system that automatically brakes if a cyclist moves in front of it has been unveiled by Volvo. The Sweden-based, Chinese-owned, auto manufacturer said at the Geneva Motor Show that the add-on would be available on a selection of car models from May 2013.

Gizmag describes the operation of the “Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake” system:

[It] uses a dual-mode radar that is integrated into the car’s grille to detect objects in front of the car and calculate the distance to them. The radar features a wide field of view to allow the system to detect pedestrians and cyclists as soon as possible. A high-resolution camera fitted in front of the rear-view mirror is then used to identify the type of object detected by the radar and calculate their pattern of movement.

The data from the radar and camera is fed to a central control unit that continuously monitors the traffic situation. Both the radar and camera need to confirm the type of object and whether they are on a collision course before a red warning flashes on the windscreen and the auto brake system is activated, applying full braking power if necessary.

It is not the first time Volvo has introduced protection for road users outside its cars. Last year it unveiled the first pedestrian airbags which are linked to detection technology which is, essentially, a less-sophisticated version of the new cyclist avoidance system.